GRE AWA Practice - GRE ARGUMENT ESSAY 204

GRE Analytical Writing Argument Essay Topic - 204

The following appeared in a health newsletter.

"Eating a heavy meal may increase the risk of heart attack. A recent survey of 2,000 people who had had a heart attack revealed that 158 of them said they had eaten a heavy meal within 24 hours before their heart attack, and 25 of them said they had eaten a heavy meal within 2 hours before their heart attack. Eating and digesting food releases hormones into the bloodstream and temporarily increases heart rate and blood pressure slightly. Both of these things put stress on the heart. Therefore, people who are at risk of having a heart attack can lower that risk by not overeating."

GRE AWA Analytical Writing Argument Essay Sample Solution - 204

The above article appeared in a health newsletter. The arguer wants to suggest that people who are at risk of having a heart attack should abstain from overeating as it would lower the risk. The arguer gives various arguments in support of his suggestion. The arguer says that according to a survey conducted on 2000 people who had a heart attack, 158 revealed that they had had a heart attack 24 hours after they consumed a heavy meal and 25 of them had a heart attack within 2 hours of having a heavy meal. The arguer further supports his argument by mentioning that because eating and digesting food releases hormones into the bloodstream which temporarily increases heart rate and slight blood pressure. Both these activities put stress on heart and heart attacks are caused. The arguments presented by the arguer are not sufficient to make his suggestion acceptable.

The arguer mentions a survey that has been done on 2000 people who had had a heart attack and the number of people who revealed that they had a heart attack because of a heavy meal is very less. The arguer has not mentioned the eating habits of the rest of the people and it is possible that they were also taking heavy meals but they had a heart attack due to some other reasons. Eating light food can not lower the risk of having a heart attack as the other people in the survey who reported that did not take heavy meals also had heart attack.

The arguer has not mentioned the age group of people who had had a heart attack after eating a heavy meal as the metabolism rate of older people is low compared to younger people.

The arguer has not mentioned whether other surveyed people were taking food rich in calories or not. It is very much possible that those reported to have had a heart attack after a heavy meal had bad eating habits. The arguer has also not mentioned whether these people had other problems also like obesity and hypertension as people with such problems are more likely to have heart attacks.

The arguer has also not mentioned which geographical region these people were from as people from colder places tend to have heavy and rich meals. Such meals provide extra energy needed to survive in such places.

The arguer further states that after eating heavy meals the digestion process of food releases such hormones which increase the heart rate and blood pressure slightly and both these activities put stress on heart. The arguer has not mentioned here about those people who do not eat heavy food but still with the problem in digestion they have had heart attacks. The arguer has also failed to establish a relation between heavy meals and heart attack.

The arguer has not been able to present his stand strongly and his recommendation falls short of relevant explanations.